Flamingo Piñata // Pretty in pink and much too pretty to fill and hang, this crepe paper creation is a work of art. Gimme.

Typography // I'm beyond smitten with the playful work of Brad Simon (it's soooooo good, y'all!) and the simple juxtaposition of a font classic like League Gothic featured by the ladies of Brand Crush. Inspiration is everywhere!

Thursday, March 30, 2017

THINKING ABOUT: Since we'll be headed East next weekend, I'm trying to figure out the logistics of traveling with a toddler who will also be sitting in his very own seat for the first time. Gulp! The last time we flew (August 2016) Max didn't require a ticket of his own and sat on my lap. How crazy is that?! Ideally I'd like to travel with as little as possible, so I'm considering a CARES Kids Fly Safe Airplane Safety Harness in lieu of lugging around a car seat in addition to our stroller. Has anyone tried this contraption? The reviews seem promising, but I just thought I'd ask before purchasing since so many of you have been incredibly helpful in the past. That being said, feel free to chime in with any ideas you might have to keep Max entertained as well. I can use all the help I can get.

THANKFUL FOR: On Tuesday night, I woke up around 11:30 PM to Beesly breathing in my face along with the sound of the wind howling and heavy rain pelting our bedroom window. Flyboy heard the two of us stirring and woke up to check the weather updates on his phone. We were supposed to have another severe thunderstorm and after last year's hellish hail storm, we honestly didn't know what to expect. You could say we've been haunted by that violent sound and we get squeamish about the possibility of it happening again. Earlier Tuesday evening, we watched our new neighbors attempt to fasten tarps to their carport with bungee cords in preparation for the weather, but we learned that can actually cause more harm than good depending on the way the wind is blowing and whether or not you can actually drill the tarp into the siding. It only makes sense that people try to prepare as best as they can, but we know that mother nature is going to do her thing no matter what we do to try and prevent it. Thankfully, the base escaped the hail and there was no damage. Every time I wake up and can say that after a storm, I want to do a happy dance!

WATCHING: Picking a favorite Real Housewives franchise is like picking a favorite child (Lucky for me, I have one. What up, Max?!), but the ladies of Beverly Hills used to rank pretty high up there—until this season, of course. Yikes! The addition of Dorito and her awful sidekick hubby PK (Can you spell gross, baby?!) was enough to make even the most sane housewife Erika Jayne lose her shiz and that says A LOT. Anyone out there agree?! I'm so ready to bid this bunch adieu, but not until I get to see the reunion insanity first. Ha! If it's too late to bring back Yolanda or convince Rinna to keep her mouth shut and rescue this season, give me New York already.

EATING: Okay guys, you're going to want to grab a pen and paper and scribble the following concoction down stat. I promise you, any meal idea I was going to share with you this week would pale in comparison to a Maxwell house recipe. Are you ready? First, grab a mug of chocolate milk (but insist it's coffee), throw four slices of hot dogs into the mug along with a cheddar cheese stick, then empty a carton of blueberry Noosa, and stir the contents until the mixture has a smooth consistency. No lumps allowed! Then, while your mom preps the crockpot for dinner and isn't looking, grab a handful of cheese puffs (store bought is fine, white cheddar preferred) and begin dipping the magical goodness into your meal in a mug. As our girl Ina would say, how easy is that?

LISTENING TO: Yesterday morning after our walk, Max and I threw an impromptu dance party in the kitchen (because It's Tricky by Run-DMC) when I decided I needed a midweek macchiato to survive the remainder of the day. Yessss! So, I grabbed my clutch, gave Bees a pet good-bye, and we headed into town when Naughty By Nature's Hip Hop Hooraybegan playing. Is it any coincidence the song spoke to Max (the band name hits close to home, you know...) and he immediately began waving his hands in the air chanting HEEEEEEYYYY HOOOOOOO?? I wanted so badly to pull over and get a video, but I knew the song and dance act would come to a halt, and I just couldn't bring myself to ruin a good thing. Eventually he caught me smiling at him in the mirror and said "Mama's turn!", so I gave m' favorite toddler the best arm wave I could muster—which probably confused a lot of drivers in the process. #WORTHIT

READING: While I was pregnant, my mom began sending us one children's book a week to fill Max's library. Little did we know that I Stink would quickly become a favorite when added to the literary mix. He He! Because Max is still all about the 'bage, we have to read it daily and discuss the contents of the illustrated garbage truck from A to Z. It's super adorable until we're in public and my child begins shouting out things like "MOLDY MEATBALLS, Ma!" and "PUPPY POO! Oh, yuck!" Yep, I've got myself a real head turner.

LOVING: There are a few clothing styles I want to try at Madewell and J.Crew (mostly OTS tops and denim), but I'd prefer to get some REAL feedback before I commit. Is anyone else like this?? Lucky for me, I'm going to be around my mom really soon and I'll have access to the stores (not just online shopping). I typically hate going into a fitting room and trying on clothes, but it's occasionally nice to get an honest opinion from someone you trust and encouragement to try things outside your comfort zone. I'm pumped!

Enough about me. How are you feeling today? What are you up to? Thanks for stopping by!!

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

As many of you that follow along on Instagram are aware, we had an interesting trip to Walmart last week when Max began making the same annoying sound (think Lloyd in Dumb & Dumber) when a lady shot him a dirty look. Her friend went on to say, "I think his mom saw you!! I can't believe you did that." Then the lady replied, "I could care less. There's no way you would catch me letting my kids act like that in public. You know my kids are well-behaved." It wasn't the woman glaring at my toddler that bothered me—I welcome any help I can get—but to treat the way I parent my son inferior to her approach hurt the most. There are a lot of things about Max's personality that I never would have anticipated in my child three years ago, but you better believe I work REALLY hard to understand and navigate his tenacious ways. It's so easy to pass judgment unless you've walked in someone else's shoes. It's also really easy to parent someone else's kid perfectly. As a fellow mother, would it have killed her to offer a little empathy instead?? Sigh. After we made our way to the next aisle, I had to talk myself out of tearing up. Since I had Max, I've actually gotten a thicker skin, but after a really long week and little sleep, I'm embarrassed to admit I let her get to me. It was the last thing I needed to hear, as I was just really proud we made it to the store. Ha Ha! I guess if there's a moral to all this rambling it's that we should trust others are doing the best they can with what they have. Momming isn't easy.

Spring in Texas is actually quite wonderful. While I could do without temps dipping into the 90s just yet (It's March!), the sunny weather we've had lately is delightful—hence the reason the blog week is off to a late start (oops!). We've spent oodles of time outdoors watching Max ride his scooter, putt around in his VW van, and master his bike. This weekend we even whipped out a set of sidewalk chalk paint and had a fancy picnic (we're talking McDonald's, peeps) in the backyard. Needless to say, it's best that we soak up all this goodness before it gets sweltering and we're all triple-digit miserable.

You know how Starbucks released colorful cups for Spring?! Well, I've got my eye on the yellow cup with the smiling sunshine design. That color paired with the adorable illustration? Eek, it's perfection! But, after ordering a handful of venti drinks over the past week, I've yet to get anything but a blank white circle. Womp womp. I can't help but wonder how many venti coffees I'll have to buy before I get my smiling sunshine?? For one, it's getting to be spendy (I typically order a venti when I use a reward only), AND I'm wired beyond belief. Flyboy suggested I just ask for the cup when I place my order, but I don't want to be the girl that does that. Frequenting SBUX is the best part of living in Swell Rio. I can't show up and have them know me as the super annoying customer that requested a sunshine cup. I know what you're thinking, the struggle to be THIS stinking basic has never been more real. Time to bring a Sharpie and draw my own...

After Max and I had coffee with a friend on Friday, we stopped by HEB to check out the flower selection. We may have forgotten the blue cheese scribbled on our list, but we sure as heck came home with the prettiest fuchsia Tulips. Ever. Unfortunately, the blooms didn't last very long, but when they opened I swear they looked just like Peonies. Swoon!

Sometimes I try to be a fun mom and it backfires. For instance, on Thursday evening Max was pretending to be a dog and I continued to egg him on by telling him he was a good puppy, rubbing his belly, and scratching his ears. You guys, his giggle was electric as he barked around the house and went to fetch Flyboy's socks when he returned home from work. It was a riot! But all of this fun came to a screeching halt when Max hit his head on our bedroom doorframe and fell back on the linoleum floor. Ugh! Thankfully, our tough little toddler was a champ about the whole thing, but we were fairly certain he would end up with a giant goose egg on the back of his head. Sigh. It could have been a lot worse, but I felt terrible and ended up eating my feelings by downing a pint of gelato with the help of Flyboy. Aw, parenthood!

Alright, that's all I've got for now. What have you been up to?! I'm dying to know.

Uppers Canister // How many bottles of gin could I fit in here? Asking for a friend. Alright, Peanut M&Ms it is...

Striped Tie-Front Flats // These are SO flipping fabulous, J.Crew excluded them from their most recent promo. Sigh.

Easter Eggs Card // I haven't made it a habit to send Easter cards, but this one from Mr. Boddington gives me the urge.

Chelsea Chicken // Isn't she ADORABLE?! Max probably (I'm only saying that because I *should*) doesn't need another stuffed animal, but this fluffy creature is ridiculously charming. I swear he's nothing like the rest of them. Ha!

Thursday, March 23, 2017

THINKING ABOUT: Every six months or so I reach that point where I feel REALLY burnt out. Do you ever get this way?! Needless to say, the impending visit to see my parents couldn't come at a better time. With everything that's gone on with Beesly, we haven't had the luxury of leaving our beloved border town since late December as the rehabilitation portion is kind of high maintenance. I realize that probably sounds silly to some, but it's been enough to drive me mad. Lately I've noticed that I'm quick to snap about little things and I find very little joy in a routine that typically comforts my Type-A personality. I'm just checking off a bunch of boxes and going through the motions with a gusto meter that's running on empty. On a good day, I attempt to survive this whole motherhood gig with Max (preferably armed with a sense of humor and colorful ballet flats), spin, blog, hit 10k steps (if possible), make sure my people are taken care of, and then shampoo, rinse, repeat. I typically take a lot of pride in completing the everyday tasks, but I truly believe it's time to shake things up. Whether that entails a new haircut, an afternoon absorbing Contemporary Art, or a day trip to Falling Water, I'm just so ready to be giddy about a fresh scenery and the idea of handing Max off to my dad for a few hours without having to worry I'll get a phone call telling me my son is refusing to eat and participate in group activities. Ha Ha!

THANKFUL FOR: Yesterday I woke up with another cruddy migraine. Bleh! The older Max gets the harder I find it is to take care of our wily toddler when my head is pounding and all I really want to do is lay down and let my medication do its job. Yesterday I found myself bawling my eyes out because I was really convinced Max was going to watch at least 30 minutes of a movie and I could rest, but my little busy body gave me ten minutes before he was ready to move on to another activity. Sigh. On days like this past Wednesday, I can't help but think about my mom and grandma who did all of this without any prescriptions for years. Yowzah! That alone is enough to make me grateful for my Zomig and healthcare that covers the cost of these pricy pills.

WATCHING: Last week I asked you all for TV recommendations to watch while Flyboy was out of town and now I'm ready to let you in on what I picked. Ha! On Friday night I watched a free episode of Big Little Lies and I'm obsessed. You guys!! It's SO SO good. While we don't have HBO, I'm already trying to figure out how I can possibly watch more of the show because I'm pretty certain I need more of it in my life. But here's where it all goes downhill... On Saturday night, while scouring the web for orchid fabulosity I might include in last Tuesday's Color Study, I watched three episodes of Mama June: From Not To Hot. Erm, please excuse me while I bury my head in shame. Yikes! But in my defense, this was also the same night Max would not stop screaming and fall asleep, so I needed to watch something I didn't have to pay a lot of attention to. Insert side eyeroll here. Y'all it was trashy background noise, I swear!

EATING: I like to try at least one new recipe a week so I can report back to you on the blog, but I didn't get around to it this week. My bad! However, I did start meal planning for the next ten days, and I'm excited to make this Avocado Salmon Rice Bowl and this Turkey Cauliflower Baked Ziti. Have you tried anything great lately that you'd be willing to pass along?? We're not picky; we just love food.

LISTENING TO: Last weekend while Flyboy was away, I was hit with the cruel reality that I'm much too boring for Max. Yep, just imagine the look on my face as I watched my two year old pull out his fake cell phone—on multiple occasions—shush me with an ornery smirk, proceed to tell me he was on the phone "talkee to daddy," and then look away pretending to be preoccupied. You know what?! It's cool kid, I'll just be over here trying to decide if you want ketchup with your ketchup for lunch again. Message received.

READING: In an effort to bring a taste of Manhattan's chic cafe, Jack's Wife Freda, to Swell Rio (gigglesnort), I went ahead and added their new cookbook to my library. Hey, maybe it will make us one step closer to dining with the Seinfelds one day?! Did somebody say ULTIMATE couples date?? Ha! I'm eager to spend some quality time with my latest read this weekend and pick a few new recipes to try in the coming weeks. After thumbing through the book briefly on Tuesday night (the photography and layout is GOOOOOORGEOUS!), I have a feeling we may have to start with the Jalapeno and Gruyere Pasta first. Yum!

LOVING: You follow Liz Adams of Sequins and Stripes, right?! Did you catch last week's post where she shared her spring beauty routine?? It might have been her most endearing one yet, and that's saying a lot because I think she's the best. I'm a sucker for product reviews and tutorials anyway, but THIS was real and relatable unlike a lot of videos I've watched. Admittedly, I ended up purchasing a few of the featured products because I'm all for a low-maintenance look and Liz makes hers seem effortless. It's worth a shot, right? While she joked about the rogue brush hair on her lip, foundation in her hair, and concealer in her brows, I swear I didn't noticed any of it. She can do no wrong, and she'll always be adorable to me! Okay, now I just sound like a stalker. Oops!

Enough about me. How are you feeling today? What are you up to? Thanks for stopping by!!

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Yesterday Flyboy took Beesly to the vet for her annual appointment. For the past few years I've ducked out of this yearly to-do because the dogs were getting up there in age and my heart just couldn't take the idea of them getting older. I worried about the doc finding something, and I suppose avoiding the appointment altogether seemed to help—a little. Additionally, the notion of juggling two neurotic dogs and a baby just didn't make sense logistically, so FB happily obliged to run this errand on his own. But now that Tripp is gone and we only received one postcard reminder this year, I found myself stirring yesterday feeling more anxious than ever. The mama bear in me wanted so badly to attend and ask questions about her overall health and the ongoing rehabilitation of her leg, but I still have a hard enough time driving by the vet clinic en route to Home Depot without my eyes watering. The idea of seeing the doc again (kindest and most earnest vet EVER) and sitting in the same room where we said good-bye to my favorite Golden was too difficult. Thankfully, our girl returned last night with a clean bill of health and my mind and heart can rest for a little bit longer.

You guys!! Remember when I asked for TV recommendations last week because Flyboy was headed to New Orleans for work and I was eager to relax in the evenings alone?! Well, I can't say I clocked in much time with the boob tube anyway. No, Max was an absolute terror who refused to sleep. At all. Sigh. Naps were nonexistent and our nights were filled with sporadic bouts of screaming. Please tell me this is another one of those sneaky sleep regressions and not our new norm. Right?! I felt like a walking zombie plotting my next trip into town for a triple venti ANYTHING. Not to mention, my neck is still killing me from my mediocre attempts to rest while donning noise-canceling headphones. Nice try, Ash!

In an effort to pass the time until "daddddddddy hooooooooome" on Sunday night, Max and I visited Starbucks both mornings for treats, built extravagant Lego trains, frequented the park (Barry the Brachiosaurus was invited too), took both his scooter and bike out for a spin, scooped mulch with one of many toy trucks, and raced down the slides more times than I preferred. I found myself looking at my watch and counting down the hours until Flyboy's return. It was clear we missed our beloved routine, but mostly we missed the rock of the family—the guy that makes us all smile. If there was any real upside to last weekend, I would say it served as a perfect gut check to enjoy life's slower pace in Swell Rio. After all, it won't be long before we get our next assignment, FB returns to a new airframe with a higher ops tempo, and all the coming/going will be our norm again. Sometimes life moves at a snail's pace down here, but I bet we'll find that we miss it a year from now—not necessarily the location, but the bounty of time spent together.

Alright, that's all I've got for now. What have you been up to?! I'm dying to know.

Thursday, March 16, 2017

THINKING ABOUT: I'm officially the mom of a toddler who has surrendered to letting her kid eat a combo like ketchup and cheese for lunch or dinner. As evident from anecdotes on m' blog, I have to pick my battles with Max and this one isn't currently a priority. This is a phase, right?! For the longest time he was a fantastic little eater, but we all know that a two year old craves independence and desires control. Sigh. This doesn't mean that I don't prepare a plate with ALL the options or encourage him to eat what we are, but at the end of a meal I'm hit with the realization that I probably should have just served Beesly the food on Max's plate instead.

THANKFUL FOR: Now that I'm 22 days away (but who's counting?) from heading to D.C., I'm starting to allow myself to get REALLY excited about our trip. Aside from spending quality time with my parents (the BEST part!), I'm giddy beyond belief that I'll be in the area just in time to visit Yayoi Kusama's current exhibition at the Hirshhorn Museum. Eek, it was meant to be! Somebody pinch me. I went ahead and set an alarm on my phone so I don't forget to sign up for our timed passes—that would be a major bummer. It only makes sense that I experience the incredible works of a woman who believes "polka dots are a way to infinity." Um, HELLO!

WATCHING: Flyboy is going to be out of town this weekend and I'm desperate for things to watch this weekend. Who's got recommendations?! My yankee doodle heart simply can't resist The Great British Baking Show, but in the event I speed through the episodes with delightful abandon—and I will—I'm going to need some backup ideas. Can you help a sister out?! In the past I've been known to stoop to new lows and binge-watch series like KUWTK and Teen Mom 2. Ugh, I can't believe I'm telling you this. Yikes!

EATING: Desperate for Max-friendly meal ideas that aren't exclusive to tomato-based condiments, I whipped up a batch of Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins featured on Tatiana's blog, Flora and Fauna, last Friday and they were a HUGE hit. In fact, as embarrassing as it is to admit, I ended up making another dozen two days later because we devoured them so quickly. Ha Ha!

LISTENING TO: Why is it that whenever we begin our peaceful stroll around base we come into contact with what feels like NO ONE? But then toward the end of the walk when Max is having another epic meltdown and screaming bloody murder it feels like everyone and their dog is frolicking about, hosting barbecues, and throwing Frisbees in Utopiaville?! Yep, just imagine yours truly over here trying to catch and contain a greased pig while simultaneously attempting to remain chill, smile, and wave at passersby.

READING: It's been awhile since I've shared links with articles and blog posts I've enthusiastically pushed on to family and friends.

LOVING: I'm just kind of obsessed with the Living Proof Flex Shaping Hairspray. Have you tried it? The scent alone might be my favorite part! While the product provides a medium (but buildable) hold, it miraculously manages to keep my fine hair in place. Yes!!

Enough about me. How are you feeling today? What are you up to? Thanks for stopping by!!

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

"THE DETAILS ARE NOT THE DETAILS. THEY MAKE THE DESIGN." — CHARLES EAMES

Happy Wednesday, m' dears! Sorry for the late start. Let's get straight to the delightful deetz, shall we?!

After last week's doozy at daycare, Max decided to take it easy on me for a few days and do ALL the sweet things. We went searching for ladybugs and took several sunny strolls around base with minor meltdowns. It was HEAVENLY! I even found myself texting my mom and sister mushy messages about my dear son. What the?! Y'all, I should really know by now that when I do that, the toddler terror is ready to strike again and he did. Ha Ha! After Max woke up from his nap on Saturday afternoon and I returned from my hair appointment, I was summoned to meet my boys at the base track field and asked to pick them up after a walk that went sour. Imagine the look on my face when I pulled into the parking lot and found both father and son on separate curbs each sporting VERY disgruntled expressions. I suppose that set the tone for the impending DST change. Unless you've ever lived with a toddler, you really have NO idea what it's like when they flip the switch. THEN throw a time change AND a full moon to the mix. Yeah, this weekend was fan-flipping-tastic!

Looking for a snazzy way to lift your spirits? I tried this Grapefruit Fizz cocktail recipe via Charmingly Styled over the weekend, but substituted gin for vodka (because of course...). Overall, I LOVED the drink, but ended up skipping the bitters the second time I made the drink. I think it's not necessary with gin. Heads up, it's also a great mocktail!

Hours before I got the infamous calls from the CDC, I basked in the glory that is walking into a Starbucks sans child. The drive-thru was hopping and then it hit me that I could just strut on into the joint if I wanted. Can you spell BLISS?!

On Thursday evening, Max and I watched Flyboy fly in dissimilar formation (achieved with three different planes, including FB's T-6)—a monthly ritual that kicks off graduation for the latest class of students receiving their wings. Now that Max is a little older, I thought he'd get a kick out of seeing his dad fly, but he was more concerned with a nearby fire truck and got upset when he realized we wouldn't be seeing Flyboy up close. Needless to say, the walk back to the car wasn't very pretty. The countdown to FB landing and returning home for dinner was brutal—it felt like FOREVER.

Some of you have noticed that HEB's floral department is killing it this Spring and you're right! Ranunculus and Tulips galore!!! I'm trying to soak it all up (AKA hoard ALL the blooms) before we return to glittery Carnations once more.

Speaking of hoarding, I mean collecting, if pretty books are your thing, then you MUST add Jane Cumberbatch's book Pure Colour to your bright stack. The hot pink edges alone will make you drool. It's a color lover's dream come true!

Alright, that's all I've got for now. What have you been up to?! I'm dying to know.

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